The Sefton Labour politician was police authority chair when Mr Bettison was appointed to Merseyside in 1998 – amid waves of protests from Hillsborough families about his role in the aftermath of the disaster.

At the time she said she was unaware of his Hillsborough connections – something he did not mention in his job application – but later defended his appointment.

Mr Bettison last week announced his decision to retire next March as West Yorkshire chief constable after effectively being forced out after revelations in the Hillsborough Independent Panel report.

He is the most senior member of South Yorkshire Police’s discredited Hillsborough operation still serving, and denies any wrongdoing.

Carol Gustafson and Norman Bettison

When contacted by the ECHO about Mr Bettion all Cllr Gustafson would say was: “I don’t want to talk about Norman Bettison at all, it was a period of my life that was hell. I really don’t want to talk about him.”

Margaret Aspinall, chair of Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: “She has got a cheek if she’s saying her life was hell. Our lives were hell when he came to this city as chief constable and she condoned it.

“She should hang her head in shame.”

Mrs Aspinall praised Liverpool’s former Lord Mayor Cllr Frank Prendergast, ex-Wirral leader Cllr Steve Faulkes, and the late Sefton councillor Dave Martin who resigned at the time in protest at the decision.

“I remember meeting with Gustafson, somewhere in Southport. She said he would be a good chief constable and had all the right credentials.

“She stuck to her guns, and now she should be answering questions.”

HFSG secretary Sue Roberts added: “We were totally distraught at the decision. She should not be asking us to feel sorry for her now.”

Sheila Coleman, of Hillsborough Justice Campaign, said: “As a local councillor she should have listened to Hillsborough families when they protested against Norman Bettison’s appointment and when he was presented with a petition signed by 15,000 people. She chose to ignore it and lacked compassion because the evidence was there.

“For her to not want to talk about it now is disgraceful because she is still elected and is accountable.

“If she had a shred of decency she would discuss her reasoning [for appointing Mr Bettison].”

Cllr Gustafson was deposed as chair of the police authority when she lost her Church ward seat in 2004 local elections to the Liberal Democrats.

Four years later Labour handed her a safe seat in Derby ward and she returned to the council.